Synopsis: Meg Murray, her little brother Charles Wallace, and their mother are having a midnight snack on a dark and stormy night when an unearthly stranger appears at their door. He claims to have been blown off course, and goes on to tell them that there is such a thing as a “tesseract,” which, if you didn’t know, is a wrinkle in time. Meg’s father had been experimenting with time-travel when he suddenly disappeared. Will Meg, Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin outwit the forces of evil as they search through space for their father? – from the publisher

Davis brings L’Engle’s classic middle grade sci-fi/fantasy novel to life and takes the reader deeper into the text – especially if you are listening to the audiobook while following along in a physical copy. The reader can really get a feel for the different layers of the story and the personalities for the characters with the audiobook thanks to Davis’s superb voice acting. She seems to adopt a multitude of personas as she reads through the novel, giving each character a unique voice as the plot goes along. I like it when a narrator takes the time and energy to put a little bit of diversity into their acting because it reduces the feeling of monotony. As much as I enjoy the story, I am still not a fan of Meg as a heroine. Davis seems to bring out more of the whining adolescent quality of Meg’s character and it really turns me off to her character. I understand that she is trying to figure some things out, but I don’t relate to her at all. Despite this, I enjoyed Davis’s performance of the book and think it would make a wonderful companion to the physical copy.

Synopsis: Peter Rabbit (James Corden) his three sisters Flopsy (Margot Robbie), Mopsy (Elizabeth Debicki), and Cotton Tail (Daisy Ridley) and their cousin Benjamin (Colin Moody) enjoy their days harassing old Mr. McGregor (Sam Neill) in his vegetable garden. After old McGregor’s death, his great-nephew (Domnhall Gleeson) inherits the house and seems to share his late uncle’s views about rabbits invading the garden. But when he starts to fall in love with the animal lover next door, Bea (Rose Byrne), his feelings towards Peter and the others begins to change. But is it too late?

I wasn’t quite sure what to think about this movie, but I ended up really enjoying it. The characters are endearing and charming, though sometimes the comedy can get a little crass (likely for the adult audience rather than the kiddies). My only real qualm with the movie is that it is supposed to be based on ‘The Tale of Peter Rabbit’. While the movie shares some of its source material with the beloved children’s books by Beatrix Potter (namely, the characters and the basic plotline of Peter repeatedly sneaking into the garden), I don’t think it is a true adaptation (The World of Peter Rabbit and Tales of Beatrix Potter more closely follow the books). That said though, I liked the different angle the writers took to make it a little more relatable to modern audiences. There is a running joke about the contrast in Bea’s paintings (her ‘real work’ is abstract at best while her drawings of the local wildlife (a side project) are much more captivating) that seems to hold up over the running time. The extermination methods McGregor uses go a little bit over the top and the ridiculousness just made me bored after a while. The back and forth between the rabbits and McGregor also have moments where the jokes fall a little flat, but for the most part, the exchanges are clever and engaging. The message about learning to understand others and to ask for forgiveness is important to instill in younger and adult viewers alike. It’s a cute family film that will be enjoyed by both kids and adults.

The City of Ember: The Graphic Novel by Jeanne DuPrau, adapted by Dallas Middaugh, art by Niklas Asker

Random House Books for Young Readers, 2012. 978-0375867934

Synopsis: It is said that the city of Ember is the only light in the dark world. Without Ember’s great lamps, the darkness would last forever. Now, the lights are flickering, and supplies are running low. When Lina and Doon find an mysterious document that might hold the answer, they must decipher its meaning before it’s too late. – from the back cover

Why I picked it up: I loved the non-graphic novel version and I was curious about the adaptation.

Why I finished it: This is one in a long line of post-apocalyptic stories that have come out in the last ten years that has made an impression on myself as well as other readers. It combines elements from the classics The Giver, A Wrinkle in Time, The Wizard of Oz and others, yet DuPrau manages to give the story its own distinctive mark. Lina and Doon are young people fighting against a system that their community is gradually coming to see as broken, both figuratively and literally. They are not extraordinary children, but they are clever, and it is this cleverness and resourcefulness that endears them to the reader. Middaugh’s adaptation captures the contrasting desperation and hope of the original novel, while Asker’s art brings to life the decaying city and the eventual illumination of Lina and Doon’s discovery of a world beyond the surrounding darkness. Asker uses muted colors that give each page a sort of sepia tone, as though the reader is perusing an old family photo album and truly capturing the journey from darkness into the light. I would recommend this book for fans of the novel and of course, for a reluctant reader. It’s a quick read that is sure to engage from the first page to the last.

Other related materials:The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau; The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau; The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne DuPrau; The Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne Du Prau; A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel by Madeline L’Engle, adapted and illustrated by Hope Larson; Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel by Eoin Colfer, adapted by Andrew Donkin, art by Giovanni Rigano; The Hobbit graphic novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, adapted by Charles Dixon, illustrations by David Wenzel; The Golden Compass: The Graphic Novel by Philip Pullman; Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel adapted by Mariah Marsden, illustrated by Brenna Thummler; Coraline: The Graphic Novel by Neil Gaiman, adapted and illustrated by P. Craig Russell; The Graveyard Book Graphic Novel by Neil Gaiman, adapted and illustrated by P. Craig Russell; The Wizard of Oz: The Graphic Novel by L. Frank Baum, adapted and illustrated by Michael Cavallaro; Zita the Spacegirl books by Ben Hatke; Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi

Synopsis: After a fire kills their parents, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are sent to live with their mysterious relative Count Olaf. The children soon learn that he is after their enormous fortune and will do anything to get his hands on it, leading the children on a series of harrowing adventures that will challenge them in ways they never thought possible.

Based on the book series by Lemony Snicket, the Netflix series could be considered a more concise follow-up to the 2004 film which was based on the first three books. Season One covers books 1-4, and each book is broken down into two episodes. The two-episode format ensures that all the material from the books is included in the episode, and it feels much more concise than the film. The adaptation focuses more on the black humor element, making Lemony Snicket an actual character that narrates while navigating through the real-time events of the episodes. The range of the actors and the guest stars help to create the world of the books, and the actors themselves seem to have fun in their roles. A few elements have changed, but it helps to keep the viewer engaged and rounds out a few of the plot points from the books. The show plays up the V.F.D. as a secret society much more, creating characters that are operatives who are invested in helping the Baudelaires. It makes for an interesting bit of character development and creates a number of interesting plot devices as well. It’s definitely binge-worthy and fun for viewers of all ages.

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met. – from Amazon.com

Why I picked it up: It was a selection for one of my book clubs that thought it prudent to read it before the movie hit theaters.

Why I finished it: The romance was definitely cute, but what really stuck with me was the underlying commentary about judging by appearances. Simon’s continual frustration (among other things) is regarding defaults, how we make assumptions based on a personal or societal norm and how the assumptions are not always true. To put this a little bit more in perspective, we do this as readers. We envision characters to be a certain way – for example, white and straight – unless we are first given some sort of description or qualifier about the character. Simon and his classmates make default assumptions about each other as well, and the point Simon (and I) seems to be driving at is that we can’t judge people based on what feels comfortable to us. We should be able to embrace people for who they really are rather than what we want them to be. We can’t make assumptions based on appearances. Simon has chances to open up about his sexuality, but he’s constantly worried about how it will impact his relationships and whether or not the situation feels right. He has to play up the appearance his friends and classmates have of him, and yet, he knows that being out comes with its own problems with which he isn’t quite ready to deal. Albertalli is sending a message of cautious tolerance to her readers, something that is a big deal in today’s society. Think differently about people and be open to change, be open to being honest about yourself and your beliefs because things can get better.

Other related materials: The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli; Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli; What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera; More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera; Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz; Every Day by David Levithan; Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan; Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan; Autoboyography by Christina Lauren; A Boy Worth Knowing by Jennifer Cosgrove; The Dangerous Art of Blending In by Angelo Surmelis; Been Here All Along by Sandy Hall; Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg; Honestly Ben by Bill Konigsberg

Synopsis: Simon Spier keeps a huge secret from his friends, family, and all of his classmates: he’s gay. When that secret is threatened, Simon must face everyone and come to terms with his identity. – from IMDB

As a book worm, I’m understandably skeptical when it comes to movie adaptations of novels, but I appreciated the depth of the plot and that it conveys the same main premise of the novel without diverging off in a completely different direction. I’ll refrain from waxing poetic about the differences between the book and the movie, but I will say that some of the truncated events made the story somewhat easier to follow. I liked that the movie shows how Simon and Blue’s email exchange begins and some of their earlier emails to each other, the latter of which isn’t included in the earlier editions of the book. I was a little disappointed that the talent show at the end of the book wasn’t included in the movie, but I appreciated the alternative ending since it takes you to the same climactic moment. I also had to have a little bit of a laugh at the fact that the high school musical was ‘Cabaret’ since the story deals with issues of racism and sexism and is really quite dark in contrast to Simon. I was a little confused by the addition of Mr. Worth (even though I love Tony Hale), but I suppose they needed another adult to fill out the screenplay. The cast themselves is nothing short of fun and I liked seeing the new faces of other up and coming thespians. Robinson is a delightful mix of confident and awkward as the titular Simon, and for me, perfectly conveyed the excitement of being in a new relationship and having an inner battle with who he really wants to be. The movie stand alone well on its own, so if you haven’t read the book before seeing the movie, you needn’t worry. It’s a high school drama love story about coming out that will be enjoyed by romantics and non-romantics alike.

The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1) by Lemony Snicket, illustrations by Brett Helquist

HarperCollins, 1999. 978-0064407663

Synopsis: When Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are suddenly orphaned when their parents are killed in a house fire, they are sent to live with their next living relative: a mysterious and cruel man named Count Olaf. The Count is intent upon stealing the children’s substantial fortune and has made no secret of wanting to do away with the children after he has acquired their money.

Why I picked it up: I wanted some context before I dove into the Neflix series, which I have been told by friends is pretty good.

Why I finished it: As promised on the cover, this is indeed not a happy tale or even a tale with a happy ending. Then again, a series entitled A Series of Unfortunate Events can’t necessarily have a terrible lot of positive things happening to the characters. The Baudelaire siblings seem to be heading down a path of obvious troubles and yet, the children can only rely on their wits, cunning, and each other if they are going to be able to escape from Count Olaf. The Count is clearly unfamiliar with child-rearing in any way, shape, or form, as is evidenced by the fact that the three siblings are given only one bed and a pile of rocks to play with. He also has a somewhat villan-ish appearance and manner, evidenced by the numerous references to his shiny eyes, greasy hair, and his house full of unsettling eyes. I was also somewhat disturbed by the lengths to which the Count is willing to go in order to keep the children living in fear, at one point leaving baby Sunny locked in a cage at the top tower of the house. Snicket has a rather unsettling gift for the macabre, and I have to admit that I was a little bit creeped out; yet, that’s part of the idea. We read about the unfortunate orphans and perhaps begin to think that our lives are not so bad, being as most readers’ parents are still living and they live in a nice house with a clean bed and lots of toys to play with. But as I said before, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are extremely clever children and so we have to hope that they will be able to find a better life away from Count Olaf and that despite the unfortunate things that happen to them, they have each other. I’d probably give it to a reluctant reader, those who are fans of a good ghost story, or readers that enjoy a mystery.

Other related materials: The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 2) by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Brett Helquist; The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 3) by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Brett Helquist; The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 4) by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Brett Helquist; The Austere Acedemy (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 5) by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Brett Helquist; The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 6) by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Brett Helquist; The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 7) by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Brett Helquist; The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 8) by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Brett Helquist; The Carnivorous Carnival (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 9) by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Brett Helquist; The Slippery Slope (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 10) by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Brett Helquist; The Grim Grotto (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 11) by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Brett Helquist; The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 12) by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Brett Helquist; The End (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 13) by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Brett Helquist; The Beatrice Letters by Lemony Snicket; illustrations by Brett Helquist; Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography by Lemony Snicket; All The Wrong Questions series by Lemony Snicket; The Composer is Dead by Lemony Snicket; illustrations by Caron Ellis, music by Nathaniel Stookey; The Mysterious Benedict Society series by Trenton Lee Stewart, illustrated by Carson Ellis